What am I missing in this landscape?

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Originally Posted by Alis

My only problem with spending all this money is that I am not sure at all I can use all these gear and get anything reasonable out of it but now I have to really try hard. I think getting up early or staying out late would be the biggest problem for a while...

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I used to think the same of my shooting (still do ... nah, just kidding). Seriously, it's like learning to drive in a Ferrari - you only need to worry about your own limitations, and not those of the vehicle. From what I've seen, your well on your way (considering your water shot from just the other day).

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About your trip, I would love to host you in Boston and show you around. New England area some of the best landscapes in the country, let alone some of the most historic architecture! And for gear, as long as you don't need anything more than 3 stops dark, you can rely on mine... And about the camera, I do not think you will have any problem using the DIGIC IV processor at all :p

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LOL - I DO hope to get over those ways at some stage, but probably not for a few years yet :( And you'll have up to 8 stops of "dark" at your fingertips in a few days! Think I prefer my DUAL Digic III's to a lonesome Digic IV :) (rumours of a new 1Ds series camera soon anyway :))

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Originally Posted by Alis

My only problem with spending all this money is that I am not sure at all I can use all these gear and get anything reasonable out of it but now I have to really try hard. I think getting up early or staying out late would be the biggest problem for a while...

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It's a bit like learning to drive in a Ferrari ... you don't need to worry about the equipment being the limiting factor, and you won't need to 'compensate" for it's shortcomings. Judging by the lake shot, you'll be just fine.

Just a thought though - the foundation kit is for 6 x 4 filters and the Vari-ND is screw-in - have you got all of these on order, or am I getting confused again?

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Originally Posted by Colin Southern

It's a bit like learning to drive in a Ferrari ... you don't need to worry about the equipment being the limiting factor, and you won't need to 'compensate" for it's shortcomings. Judging by the lake shot, you'll be just fine.

Just a thought though - the foundation kit is for 6 x 4 filters and the Vari-ND is screw-in - have you got all of these on order, or am I getting confused again?

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Now, except for the ring for the 82mm lens, I guess I have everything I need. Only thing I need is the art of composition; technique I can ask you or others on this forum and hopefully learn it quickly but the art part is not so sure. We will see :)

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Originally Posted by Alis

Only thing I need is the art of composition;

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And there's even a book to help with that! (I've got it, and it is quite good).

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Originally Posted by Colin Southern

And there's even a book to help with that! (I've got it, and it is quite good).

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Thanks, Colin! I will have to order it then, although I have been looking at landscape pictures online a lot more recently to get some ideas! Cheating :)

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Originally Posted by Alis

Thanks, Colin! I will have to order it then, although I have been looking at landscape pictures online a lot more recently to get some ideas! Cheating :)

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If it helps, what I do is ...

- Consciously ensure that the landscape has a FOREGROUND, a MID-GROUND, and a BACKGROUND.

- Wait for appropriate clouds (usually either none, high cloud, or agressive looking stormy clouds

- Shoot just before sunrise or just after sunset (hour or so either way)

- Consider how to handle distractors (things you DON'T want in the scene) - this part is easier with longer focal length selections - often a distractor in the morning will be a silhouette in the afternoon (or vice versa).

All excellent advice.

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Originally Posted by Colin Southern

- Consider how to handle distractors (things you DON'T want in the scene) - this part is easier with longer focal length selections - often a distractor in the morning will be a silhouette in the afternoon (or vice versa).

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One more thing on this, I have found that sometimes quite small movement of camera position at shooting time can make distractors easier, or almost impossible, to clone out in PP. Something to consider - but not at the expense of overall composition.

Thanks, Dave and Colin.

I think this composition part is what I do not know at all and the hardest to master. I have friend who go with me to the same place, but different things. Take pictures of the same table of food and people but when I look at their pictures I see how different they saw it. To be honest, all I do usually is to get everyone/everything in the frame so that I can crop it later (I have almost 22 MP available!). Yet even later, I can not come up with anything really as interesting.

But I am learning, now I actually remember to look at the setting of the camera before I shoot which is progress :D

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Originally Posted by Alis

~ now I actually remember to look at the setting of the camera before I shoot which is progress :D

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Hey, that's not fair, now you've overtaken me! :D:D

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Originally Posted by Alis

Yet even later, I can not come up with anything really as interesting.

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I think that the Photographers Eye book that I recommended will help a lot with that (if you read it ;))

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Originally Posted by Colin Southern

I think that the Photographers Eye book that I recommended will help a lot with that (if you read it ;))

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Well, the good thing is that photography books usually have pictures and that keeps me interested :)